Shoe with a Wireless Transmitter and a Generator

ABSTRACT

A shoe apparatus includes a shoe, a power supply and a wireless transmitter. The shoe is to be worn by a user. The power supply is provided in the shoe for generation and storage of electricity. The power supply includes a battery, a first generator unit electrically connected to the battery and a second generator unit electrically connected to the battery. The wireless transmitter is provided in the shoe and electrically connected to the power supply for wireless communication of data with a remote device.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a shoe and, more particularly, to a shoe equipped with a wireless transmitter and at least one generator.

2. Related Prior Art

There are some shoes equipped with GPS devices. Such a GPS device is energized by a power supply such as a battery or a piezoelectric element. None of such GPS devices is energized by a unit that can discharge and be recharged repeatedly. Such a piezoelectric device generates in separate short periods of time al a high voltage and a small current. It is difficult to use or save the resultant energy. It is therefore difficult to use such a piezoelectric device with other wireless communication systems.

Moreover, such a piezoelectric device produces a current with large amplitude at a low frequency so that its components could easily be damaged. In addition, a typical DC/DC converter does not perform well in converting a high voltage to a low voltage.

The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a shoe apparatus that can be used for wireless communication for a long period of time without having to be recharged by an external power supply.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the shoe apparatus includes a shoe, a power supply and a wireless transmitter. The shoe is to be worn by a user. The power supply is provided in the shoe for generation and storage of electricity. The power supply includes a battery, a first generator unit electrically connected to the battery and a second generator unit electrically connected to the battery. The wireless transmitter is provided in the shoe and electrically connected to the power supply for wireless communication of data with a remote device.

In another aspect, the shoe includes a sole for containing the power supply and the wireless transmitter, a vamp connected to the sole, and an insole provided on the sole.

In another aspect, the battery is a fabric capacitor provided between the sole and the insole.

In another aspect, the power supply further includes a power management unit provided between the battery and both of the first and second generator units.

In another aspect, the wireless transmitter further includes a voltage regulator and a circuit controller provided between the battery and the wireless transmitter.

In another aspect, the first generator unit is a piezoelectric element.

In another aspect, the second generator unit is a pedal dynamo.

In another aspect, the wireless transmitter includes a local area network unit and a radio frequency antenna electrically connected to the local area network unit.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a shoe apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the shoe apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a shoe apparatus that can be used for wireless communication for a long period of time without having to be recharged by an external power supply according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The shoe apparatus includes a shoe 1, a power supply 2 and a wireless transmitter 3.

The shoe 1 can be worn by a user. The shoe 1 includes a sole 11, a vamp 12 connected to the sole 11, and an insole 13 provided on the sole 11.

The power supply 2 is provided in and preferably attached to the sole 11 of the shoe 1. The power supply 2 includes a battery 21, a power management unit 22 electrically to the battery 21, a first generator unit 23 electrically connected to the power management unit 22, and a second generator unit 24 electrically connected to the power management unit 22. The battery 21 may be a fabric capacitor provided between the sole 11 and the insole 13. The first generator unit 23 may be a piezoelectric element provided between the sole 11 and the insole 13. The second generator unit 24 may be a miniature pedal dynamo provided in the sole 11 for generating when the shoe device is moved by the user.

The wireless transmitter 3 is provided in and connected to the sole 11 of the shoe 1 and electrically connected to the power supply 2 for wireless communication of data with a remote device. The wireless transmitter 3 includes a local area network unit (ZigBee) 31, a radio frequency antenna 32, a voltage regulator 33 and a circuit controller 34. The local area network unit 31 is electrically connected to the battery 21 through the voltage regulator 33 and the circuit controller 34. The radio frequency antenna 32 is electrically connected to the local area network unit 31.

In use, the shoe 1 is worn by the user. When shoe 1 is moved by the user, the shoe 1 is subject to press and vibration. Thus, mechanical energy is converted to electricity by the first generator unit 23 as long as the first generator unit 23 is deformed. The battery 21 is recharged with the electricity provided by the first generator unit 23. Synchronously, more mechanical energy is converted to more electricity by the second generator unit 24 as the shoe 1 is trodden. The battery 21 is recharged by both of the generator units 23 and 24 under the control of the power management unit 22.

No matter the user walks or stops, the wireless transmitter 3 can be used for communication of data and positioning. Electricity is provided from the battery 21 to the local area network unit 31 through the voltage regulator 33 and the circuit controller 34. At 2.4 GHz for example, the local area network unit 31 is used together with the radio frequency antenna 32 to transmit data to a remote control center 4 for example. The data includes positioning data and biological data. The positioning data includes an identification code of the wireless transmitter 3. The biological data may be related to the blood pressure, blood sugar and pulses. Thus, the position and biological condition of the user can be monitored.

As described above, the present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art. When the shoe apparatus is moved, both of the generator units 23 and 24 are subject to pressing and vibration. Thus, electricity is generated by both of the generator units 23 and 24. The battery 21 is recharged by both of the generator units 23 and 24. The wireless transmitter 3 is energized by the battery 21 for wireless communication of data no matter the user walks or stops. The position and biological condition of the user can be monitored.

The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims. 

1. A shoe apparatus including: a shoe 1 to be worn by a user; a power supply 2 provided in the shoe 1 for generation and storage of electricity, wherein the power supply 2 includes a battery 21, a first generator unit 23 electrically connected to the battery 21, and a second generator unit 24 electrically connected to the battery 21; and a wireless transmitter 3 provided in the shoe 1 and electrically connected to the power supply 2 for wireless communication of data with a remote device
 4. 2. The shoe apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shoe 1 includes a sole 11 for containing the power supply 2 and the wireless transmitter 3, a vamp 12 connected to the sole 1, and an insole 13 provided on the sole
 11. 3. The shoe apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery 21 is a fabric capacitor provided between the sole 11 and the insole
 13. 4. The shoe apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power supply 2 further includes a power management unit 22 provided between the battery 21 and both of the first and second generator units 23,
 24. 5. The shoe apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter 3 further includes a voltage regulator 33 and a circuit controller 34 provided between the battery 21 and the wireless transmitter
 3. 6. The shoe apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first generator unit 23 is a piezoelectric element.
 7. The shoe apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second generator unit 24 is a pedal dynamo.
 8. The shoe apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter 3 includes a local area network unit 31 and a radio frequency antenna 32 electrically connected to the local area network unit
 31. 